Ash Krafton's Blog, page 15

BLEEDING HEARTS on sale! See where the Demimonde began...

WOLF'S BANE (Demimonde #3) is due out in June! With the third book finally on its way, we wanted to invite new readers to join the Demimonde by putting the first book on sale. You can jump into my world of demivampires and oracles right at the beginning... for only $1.99!


Promotional Book Tours is hosting a blast this week so you'll want to jump into the Rafflecopter at the end, too! 





Sophie Galen is an advice columnist who is saving the world–one damned person at a time.



Shy and sensitive Sophie has all but given up on love until she meets Marek, a mysterious stranger who seduces her with his striking good looks and his take-charge attitude. Yet the darkness she senses within him may be more than she is prepared to handle when Marek draws her into a world of vampires, werewolves, and treachery. Forced to leave behind the comfortable routines and certainties of her past, Sophie makes unbearable sacrifices and uncovers hidden truths about herself and the world around her.




BLEEDING HEARTS is the first book in the Demimonde series. BLOOD RUSH (Demimonde #2) is available now and WOLF'S BANE (Demimonde #3) is coming out in June.Buy on Kindle | Paperback Follow me anywhere you can find me!Literary Addicts | Twitter | Facebook | Website | Blog | Authorgraph | Goodreads



a Rafflecopter giveawayIf your email address changes, please follow these instructions:
1. Scroll down to the bottom of an email from Ash Krafton's blog and click UNSUBSCRIBE to remove your old email addy from the database. Then
2. Go to http://ash-krafton.blogspot.com/ and SUBSCRIBE (on the right-hand side, in the sidebar) with your new address!

Name a Character in AJ Krafton's Upcoming Book!

Stop by Facebook for a gift card giveaway! You'll find the post here on my AJ Krafton, New Adult spec fic author page...

To enter, do two things... one little and one big. Little thing: like the page. Big thing: name a character in my book-in-progress!

THE HEARTBEAT THIEF begins in Surrey, Victorian England. Our heroine, Senza, is a young woman who has recently come out in society.

Her best friend's family recently moved to town from Australia after her father made his fortune in the gold rush. She's spunky, mischievous, clever, and not afraid to speak her mind.

She's also nameless. You can change that!

Suggest a name for Senza's dearest friend and it may make it into the book... as well as score you an Amazon gift card.

Remember  to visit AJ Krafton's page on Facebook to leave a comment in the post and enter to win!

You'll also keep up with exciting news about my new line of books: new adult speculative fiction, dark and dangerous and my kind of delightful...

You can also find news on AJ Krafton's upcoming projects by following Twitter or stopping by the blog. You'll be among the first to see the cover for THE HEARTBEAT THIEF ... Coming soon!

Good luck...and be creative!

Introducing the Infinite Ink Authors #youngadult #newadult #speculativefiction

Today we are celebrating the launch of Infinite Ink!

 Infinite Ink are a collective of Young Adult and New Adult speculative fiction authors: Katie French, A.G. Henley, S.K. Falls, Megan Thomason, Zoe Cannon, Nicole Ciacchella, Shelbi Wescott, Kea Alwang, and myself, writing as A.J. Krafton.

We’ve come together to make big things happen in the world of YA and NA fantasy fiction. I’ve had several NA projects lined up for some time now and, when S.K. Falls mentioned she and a group of other indie writers were getting together, I knew this was the right time to pursue those projects.

I'll be writing my NA fantasy titles as A.J. Krafton. You can connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and Blogger, where I’ll be chronicling the journey to publication of my first NA title THE HEARTBEAT THIEF.

Celebrate the launch of Infinite Ink by entering our huge launch giveaway!

Win books and gift cards by entering the Rafflecopter giveaway. When you do, you’ll find out where Infinite Ink authors hang out. Please stop by, meet the other authors, and check out their amazing books. Be the first to find out about new releases and hot promotions.

If you’re a fan of Young Adult or New Adult fantasy and dystopian fiction, I hope you’ll take a few moments to connect with us online and discover new worlds and new characters. Stop by our Facebook page to say hello and wish us luck as we launch our newest endeavor…


Here's our formal introduction. See what makes us tick and what makes us type :)

To celebrate our official debut, we're holding a huge giveaway. Enter to win books and gift cards from our authors: three book prize packs and three 25$ Amazon gift cards.

And that's not all... by entering, you'll find out how to find us at all our online hangouts. I hope you'll join us for great books and random randomness. We want to welcome you all to our universe!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
  Follow us:  Facebook Twitter Tumblr
Goodreads

Indroducing the Infinite Ink Authors #youngadult #newadult #speculativefiction

Today we are celebrating the launch of Infinite Ink!

 Infinite Ink are a collective of Young Adult and New Adult speculative fiction authors: Katie French, A.G. Henley, S.K. Falls, Megan Thomason, Zoe Cannon, Nicole Ciacchella, Shelbi Wescott, Kea Alwang, and myself, writing as A.J. Krafton.

We’ve come together to make big things happen in the world of YA and NA fantasy fiction. I’ve had several NA projects lined up for some time now and, when S.K. Falls mentioned she and a group of other indie writers were getting together, I knew this was the right time to pursue those projects.

I'll be writing my NA fantasy titles as A.J. Krafton. You can connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and Blogger, where I’ll be chronicling the journey to publication of my first NA title THE HEARTBEAT THIEF.

Celebrate the launch of Infinite Ink by entering our huge launch giveaway!

Win books and gift cards by entering the Rafflecopter giveaway. When you do, you’ll find out where Infinite Ink authors hang out. Please stop by, meet the other authors, and check out their amazing books. Be the first to find out about new releases and hot promotions.

If you’re a fan of Young Adult or New Adult fantasy and dystopian fiction, I hope you’ll take a few moments to connect with us online and discover new worlds and new characters. Stop by our Facebook page to say hello and wish us luck as we launch our newest endeavor…


Here's our formal introduction. See what makes us tick and what makes us type :)

To celebrate our official debut, we're holding a huge giveaway. Enter to win books and gift cards from our authors: three book prize packs and three 25$ Amazon gift cards.

And that's not all... by entering, you'll find out how to find us at all our online hangouts. I hope you'll join us for great books and random randomness. We want to welcome you all to our universe!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
  Follow us:  Facebook Twitter Tumblr
Goodreads

Kindle Fire HDX Giveaway...Happy Valentine's Day!

Win a Kindle Fire HDX, Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash ($229 value)   This is a joint AUTHOR & BLOGGER GIVEAWAY EVENT! Bloggers & Authors have joined together and each chipped in a little money towards a Kindle Fire HDX 7" (or $229 Amazon Gift Card or $229 in Paypal Cash).
All New Kindle Fire HDX 7" GiveawayThe winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HDX (US Only - $229 Value)
  Or $229 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)
  Or $229 in Paypal Cash (International)
      Giveaway Sponsors
I Am A Reader, Not A WriterFeed Your ReaderAuthor Clover AutreyBuried Under RomanceChosen by You Book ClubAuthor Elizabeth WoodrumAuthor Elizabeth IsaacsAuthor Fabio BuenoFae BooksGins Book Notes and DesignAuthor Inger IversenParanormal Book ClubHallowed Ink PressThe Storybook KingdomThe (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old GirlStuffed ShelvesAuggie TalkBook AngeltopiaJennifer LaurensAstraea PressAuthor Joselyn VaughnAuthor Wendy KnightRumor Has ItAuthor Sandy GreenAuthor Sherry GloagAuthor M. KircherAuthor Allan LeveroneAuthor Jo GraffordAuthor Jennifer Rae GravelyAuthor P.M. RichterAuthor Ash KraftonAuthor Rae Z. RyansI Feel the Need, The Need to ReadThe Society of YA StorytellersAuthor Laurie TreacyQuality BookWorks ServicesAuthor Diane CapriAuthor Carole LanhamBound4EscapeAuthor J.L. WeilReviews from a BookwormWhere The Broken Lie by Derek RempferBrenda Maxfield's Smart and Sassy Teen ReadsAuthor Kimber Leigh WheatonParanormal Romance Author Rebecca HamiltonBonnie Blythe's Pure RomanceBella Street Weird RomanceA Leisure MomentBea's Book NookDanielle @ Coffee and CharactersBookHoundsThe Stubby PencilFrances PauliThe Sylver LiningSweet Romance ReadsAuthor Donna FasanoOwl Always Be ReadingThe Reporter and The GirlAuthor David Michael SlaterAuthor Daniel PikeThe Late Bloomer's Book BlogAuthor Marilla MulwaneBarbara Silkstone: Second Art CafeElizabeth Parkinson Bellows  Sign up to sponsor the next Kindle Fire Giveaway: http://www.iamareader.com/category/kindle-giveaway-sign-ups   Giveaway Details 1 winner will receive their choice of an all new Kindle Fire 7" HDX (US Only - $229 value), $229 Amazon Gift Card or $229 in Paypal Cash (International). There is a second separate giveaway for bloggers who post this giveaway on their blog. See details in the rafflecopter on how to enter to win the 2nd Kindle Fire HDX 7". Ends 3/16/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash.

Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the participating authors & bloggers. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway If your email address changes, please follow these instructions:
1. Scroll down to the bottom of an email from Ash Krafton's blog and click UNSUBSCRIBE to remove your old email addy from the database. Then
2. Go to http://ash-krafton.blogspot.com/ and SUBSCRIBE (on the right-hand side, in the sidebar) with your new address!

Kindle Fire HDX Giveaway...Happy Valentine's Day!

Win a Kindle Fire HDX, Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash ($229 value)   This is a joint AUTHOR & BLOGGER GIVEAWAY EVENT! Bloggers & Authors have joined together and each chipped in a little money towards a Kindle Fire HDX 7" (or $229 Amazon Gift Card or $229 in Paypal Cash).
All New Kindle Fire HDX 7" GiveawayThe winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HDX (US Only - $229 Value)
  Or $229 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)
  Or $229 in Paypal Cash (International)
      Giveaway Sponsors
I Am A Reader, Not A WriterFeed Your ReaderAuthor Clover AutreyBuried Under RomanceChosen by You Book ClubAuthor Elizabeth WoodrumAuthor Elizabeth IsaacsAuthor Fabio BuenoFae BooksGins Book Notes and DesignAuthor Inger IversenParanormal Book ClubHallowed Ink PressThe Storybook KingdomThe (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old GirlStuffed ShelvesAuggie TalkBook AngeltopiaJennifer LaurensAstraea PressAuthor Joselyn VaughnAuthor Wendy KnightRumor Has ItAuthor Sandy GreenAuthor Sherry GloagAuthor M. KircherAuthor Allan LeveroneAuthor Jo GraffordAuthor Jennifer Rae GravelyAuthor P.M. RichterAuthor Ash KraftonAuthor Rae Z. RyansI Feel the Need, The Need to ReadThe Society of YA StorytellersAuthor Laurie TreacyQuality BookWorks ServicesAuthor Diane CapriAuthor Carole LanhamBound4EscapeAuthor J.L. WeilReviews from a BookwormWhere The Broken Lie by Derek RempferBrenda Maxfield's Smart and Sassy Teen ReadsAuthor Kimber Leigh WheatonParanormal Romance Author Rebecca HamiltonBonnie Blythe's Pure RomanceBella Street Weird RomanceA Leisure MomentBea's Book NookDanielle @ Coffee and CharactersBookHoundsThe Stubby PencilFrances PauliThe Sylver LiningSweet Romance ReadsAuthor Donna FasanoOwl Always Be ReadingThe Reporter and The GirlAuthor David Michael SlaterAuthor Daniel PikeThe Late Bloomer's Book BlogAuthor Marilla MulwaneBarbara Silkstone: Second Art CafeElizabeth Parkinson Bellows  Sign up to sponsor the next Kindle Fire Giveaway: http://www.iamareader.com/category/kindle-giveaway-sign-ups   Giveaway Details 1 winner will receive their choice of an all new Kindle Fire 7" HDX (US Only - $229 value), $229 Amazon Gift Card or $229 in Paypal Cash (International). There is a second separate giveaway for bloggers who post this giveaway on their blog. See details in the rafflecopter on how to enter to win the 2nd Kindle Fire HDX 7". Ends 3/16/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash.

Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the participating authors & bloggers. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Jonathan D. Allen Looks at Limerence and His Newest Release

Pathways of the Dead(Among the Dead #2)Matty doesn’t want to end the world. Unfortunately, she has no choice. Through a series of harrowing events, Matty DiCamillo discovered that she is the heir to an ancient prophecy, destined to destroy her own reality to save countless others. Now she finds herself locked away and interrogated by beings known as the Aetelia, who are out to force the apocalypse to their liking. After a breathless escape and an attack by the band of rebel Aetelia known as the Watchers, Matty must not only cross worlds but time itself to elude capture and face her destiny on her own terms. Aided by her lover Kristy; Tommy, a man trapped in a boy’s body; and an ageless woman named Omarosa; she must face death itself to reach the City of the Dead.AmazonAdd Pathways of the Dead to your Goodreads list!_________________________About The Corridors of the Dead (Book #1)Long ago, a mysterious being known as The Lost Aetelia crafted an elaborate series of Watchtowers, along with their resident guardians, the Aetelia, to watch over the Universe. In time, they sent a select group of their own to Earth, tasked with watching over the fledging human race. This group used humanity to challenge the established structure of the Universe. A bitter war ensued, and these rebels, who had come to be known as Watchers, disappeared from history.  The time of the Aetelia – now known as angels – is returning. After a fateful night of violence, Artist Matty DiCamillo finds herself drawn into this world by a mysterious savior, who becomes a driving force in Matty’s new life. Both driven by and fighting the words of prophecy that lay out her destiny, Matty, her lover Kristy, and her best friend Daniel, follow this mysterious savior on a journey from Northern California to Las Vegas on a path that crosses through the boundaries of time and space. As Matty struggles to understand her destiny, she discovers that her savior may not be what she seems, and that even the denizens of this twilight world have no idea what lurks behind the stage dressing of reality. Matty finds herself not only racing to rescue the woman she loves, but learning that she herself could be the cause of the Universe’s day of reckoning.Amazon – Barnes & Noble
Jonathan D Allen Born and raised in the rural Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, Jonathan wrote his first fantasy/sci-fi novel at the age of 13. After studying writing and communication at James Madison University, Jonathan turned his passion for writing into a full-time technical writing career in the DC Metro area, working for companies like Sprint/Nextel, Time Warner Cable, and Sirius XM Radio, where he had an opportunity to combine his love of music with his love of writing. He may have drifted away from fiction at times, but it was always his first love – and he always returned to it. Now living in Bethesda with his wife, two cats, and two quirky guinea pigs for which his publishing company is named, he crafts the kinds of stories that he had always hoped to read but just couldn’t quite find.Website – Blog – Twitter – Facebook – PinterestI'm happy to host the tour for the dark fantasy novel Pathways of the Dead by Jonathan D Allen! The tour is running from February 10th to 28th, 2014. There will be reviews, interviews, guest posts and excerpts + a special International giveaway that will run on each tour stop!  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Post from the author...


Love and Madness Among the Dead
Hi there, thanks for joining me on the Pathways of the Dead virtual book tour. As always, I’m humbled at the chance to share with a new audience and thank our gracious host. Given that tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, I decided to discuss love and madness, two topics that immediately come to mind when I contemplate said holiday.
What, they don’t occur to you?
“Uh, that’s great, Jonathan,” you say, “But this is a book tour, right? What does it have to do with the book?” Good question! Let’s dig down into it and talk about how the two concepts intertwine in the Among the Dead Cycle, as they are very subtle, but important, themes in the series.
I write this knowing that it is not very subtle or clever to equate love and craziness, more a fact of life. In addition to the time-worn cultural equations between the two, science has discovered that people in the throes of romantic love have similar MRI profiles to the mentally ill, specifically those with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). We all know the stupid things that people do under its sway (and I am certainly not immune to this). So why celebrate it if it can cause such issues in our lives?
The problem, I believe, stems from a confusion of definitions. Many people confuse the physical experience of limerencewith love. Quick thumbnail sketch, limerence is an involuntary state of mind in which you become obsessed with the target of your affections. This may be requited or unrequited, but the key defining trait is obsession and the need to have your affections returned. Not surprisingly, it bears a striking resemblance to OCD.
Limerence, then, is that crazy phase where you can’t get someone out of your mind and drive your friends out of their minds with constant chatter about the new love of your life. Every waking minute may be filled with a desire to be with that person, a burning need only quenched by proximity to the target. It’s a head-spinning, heart-pounding, pleasant-and-awful crazy rush of endorphins flooding your body. Opinions differ on what triggers this particular state, but most psychologists agree that it’s a recognition of something familiar in that other person, and that familiar trait may be good or bad. Add this to people writing songs about this state of mind, lauding it as “true love” and you have a recipe for something quite dangerous and addictive.
But is it really love, part of love, or something else entirely? Everyone knows some story of a couple who started out madly in love with one another and eventually ended up with a collapsed, black hole of a relationship. “Oh, I love him, but I’m not in love with him,” is the common refrain at the end of such engagements. Sometimes the decision to dissolve these bonds is absolutely the right thing to do; madness can make for strange bedfellows that make very little sense in the light of day.
On the other hand, a relationship that has “lost its spark” (i.e., fallen out of limerence) can be sustained long-term by hard work and dedication. Is that love? Well, in 1956 the social psychologist Erich Fromm published a book called The Art of Loving and it posited love as a skill rather than an emotion, something that a person could practice daily with everyone, not just the object of their affection. The notion was hardly new. The exhortation is, after all, the basis of Jesus’ teachings, among other spiritual edicts, and underlies many acts of civil defiance in the name of justice. So we’re left with the idea that what begins with limerence can become something stronger and long-lasting with a little patience, work, and directed will.
This is where my series enters the picture, as I crafted portions of the story  as a metaphor for this process. In Book One, The Corridors of the Dead, protagonist Matty DiCamillo finds herself thrust into a world that she doesn’t understand, forced to deal with the entreaties of a hidden world, the world of the Aetelia, that has sought her for untold millennia. The imposing, undiscovered reality is  in limerence, determined to snag the object of its affection one way or another. Matty’s “suitors” violently impose on an existing relationship with Matty’s girlfriend Kristy. Kristy finds herself increasingly pushed into the background of Matty’s life as this new pseudo-relationship with the world of the Aetelia takes shape. With this comes the madness of a new infatuation and entry into a  previously unimagined state of consciousness. I think you can fill in the parallels.

By Book Two, Pathways of the Dead, Matty has accepted her fate and locks into the world of this new relationship, toxic though it may be. Now the focus begins to shift to Kristy and her efforts to deal with this change in her life. Matty and Kristy connect a few times, but a desperate, insane act by Kristy at the end of Book One has driven a wedge between the two that will never entirely be removed. They continue to have an important bond, but it is Kristy’s turn to learn, and her lesson is much closer to Fromm’s definition of love. She has been drawn into this world along with Matty, but in contrast to her lover, Kristy takes conscious steps to help avert the apocalypse, fully shouldering the responsibility for saving the Multiverse in an act of love that even she doesn’t understand until the very end.
So you see, the two women experience very different sides of the same coin; Matty’s encounter with this world represents the limerence and mad dash of being pulled along by fate and forces beyond your control, while Kristy’s experience is built around conscious will and the hesitant steps of learning to truly care for others. The differences in their experiences drive the series finale (still to come in Book 4), in which we see the long-lasting ramifications of their choices - or non-choices.
Limerence and the act of love may be very different things, but they will always be connected at the hip. The question is how we handle them and their impacts on our lives. My hope is that Kristy and Matty provide good models for the future.

Dark World Books: Boutique Services for Authors

Today, I wanted to give the Demimonde Bump to Dark World Books. This growing company is actively seeking author clients and provide an array of literary/promotional services. If you are an author of dark or sexy (or dark AND sexy) stories, read on! You may find your books best friends below...

Dark World Books offers customized boutique services for independent and published authors of Urban/Dark Fantasy, Dystopian, Steampunk, YA/NA Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Historical Romance, Dark Erotica, Contemporary Erotica & Erotic Romance.

Having problems with your author business? Our job is to guide you through this sometimes overwhelming process and take care of manuscript edits, covers & marketing material creation, trailers and book tours. Also, you can now hire us to be your virtual personal assistants! Is your life taking too much time away from your author duties? Are you so busy writing that you don't have time to promote your novel/s? We’re the right team for you! Management of your social media accounts, marketing consultation, review/ARCs distribution are only some of the tasks we take care of by being your PAs. Don’t wait any longer, get in touch! We hope to have the pleasure of working with you very soon!

Franny & Silvia
Dark World Books
Facebook – Twitter – Google+ - LinkedIn – Pinterest – Youtube
I first met Franny when I was promoting my first novel. She confided that she and Sil were going to be starting up boutique services for authors and I remember how excited I was for them--I got to be their first tour when I released the cover for Blood Rush (Demimonde #2) . Loved their work!They've also handled the editing and cover art for Deliverance, a fantasy short (all proceeds benefit a young man's medical fund... please consider supporting this project!) I've done other tours, as well. Franny is very detail-oriented when it comes to tours--no missed stops, no dropped posts (I can attest to that--I'm an occasional host for DWB-- when one of my posts went live before I added an element *shame* but she caught it and righted it, much to the other author's relief).Recently they've added author management services to their repertoire . If you have an upcoming project or just need author support, I do recommend their services and encourage you to stop by Dark World Books and have a look around!

Win a gift card at The Masquerade Crew--BLOOD RUSH (Demimonde #2)

 This month, BLOOD RUSH will be one of the featured books at the Masquerade Crew blog, in both the Cover Wars and the Scavenger Hunt. Stop by and lend a land to the Demimonde!

You can vote in the Cover Wars every day—so I hope you’ll visit as much as you can…

The winner of the Scavenger Hunt wins an Amazon gift card…the clues for BLOOD RUSH are no-brainers for Demimonde fans and super easy to find for newbies. Answer questions, follow some authors, and be entered to win!

I’ll also be running a flash giveaway at my FB fanpage (http://facebook.com/ashkraftonauthor) for folks who pitch in their votes. Keep a watch on the page for the contest post…

Thank you again for all your support of the Demimonde series. Hope you are looking forward to Wolf’s Bane (Demimonde #3)…it’s coming soon!

Differences Between Professional & Amateur Writers: On Inspiration #writerstip

I recently read an article an author had written on the five differences between professional authors and amateurs. Good article, but I kept coming back to this line:

When beginning writers approach me, they often want to know where I get my ideas (Pottery Barn, I tell them) or my inspiration.  By contrast, I think published novelists understand that you can’t really get help with inspiration.

I don’t know why, but this kinda rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe I took it the wrong way. I do that a lot, because as a published novelist (ergo professional writer), I always immediately reject the most obvious meaning and delve on through to the fourth or fifth possibility. That keeps things exciting and unexpected. (#writerstip)

But seriously. Why is asking about inspiration the mark of an amateur? I ask other writers all the time, and I’m not an amateur. I know where I get my inspiration from, and I’ve written extensively about it. It’s my innate curiosity that drives me to ask other writers what makes them tick. If I wasn’t curious about almost everything, I probably would be a very boring fiction writer. (bonus #writerstip)

Even beginning writers know where their own inspirations come from. If they weren’t inspired, they never would have made the switch from Advanced Reader to Beginning Writer. Writers at every level of experience are sensitive to inspirational things, which seed the creative subconscious and stimulate the growth of ideas. Asking another writer what inspires them isn’t the same as asking for a lesson on How To Become Inspired. It’s an inquiry to see if someone as big as a “professional” writer shares the same idea processes as they do.

Kind of like when Kid President asks his interview guests if they toot.

We all toot. We’re all human.

Professional authors are human, too, just like the wee amateurs. And, whether pro or amateur, we’re all part of a community of artists. Asking that question may be a way for a beginning author to validate his belief in himself, to remind him that his idea process is just as valid as that of the multi-published professional. Every one of us needs a big up now and then. I’m sure even the most seasoned professionals have heroes, and wouldn’t mind knowing if they share the same ilk.

I think a better mark of the professional author would be the ability to serve as a mentor to the beginners. Experts teach the innocent. Professionals should teach with a certain sensibility that fosters the less-experienced within our ranks.

Don’t forget: the word “professional” means many things.

Definition of professional (adj)(Courtesy of Bing Dictionary)
 pro•fes•sion•al [ prō féshən'l ]
of profession: relating to or belonging to a professionfollowing occupation as paid job: engaged in an occupation as a paid job rather than as a hobbybusinesslike: conforming to the standards of skill, competence, or character normally expected of a properly qualified and experienced person in a work environmentI tend to focus on the third definition, with emphasis on character. Answering an emerging writer’s earnest question with disdain or a non-answer or the attitude that the simple act of asking a question will forever condemn them to the amateur team is, in a word, unprofessional.

Especially when you consider definition number two. The moment you are paid to do something, you are a professional. That means the same for all occupations, from ice skaters to freelance writers. The day I received a token payment from an ezine for a poem was the day I made pro. Money’s a bit different when you compare it to novel sales by a Big 5 publisher, but the distinction is the same.

Professionals don’t talk down to other professionals. That’s not just unprofessional--that’s jackassy.

And I’m sure that the point he was trying to make was certainly not that professionals no longer get inspired, that the trick of writing your eighth or ninth book isn’t the result of an uninspired plug-and-play formula. (That suspicion was maybe seventh down on my list of possible interpretations—see first #writerstip)

Professionals are subject to inspiration, just as amateurs are. The difference is that professionals look for inspiration and set to work crafting a product out of it, whereas an amateur often is struck by an inspiration, which jars them so thoroughly out of their everyday life that they are driven to write about it. In short: professionals use inspiration as a tool, the same one that amateurs must learn to wield.

What I did find helpful, though is the reference to Pottery Barn. I adore the photos on that website and I think that any author who needs to add a little setting to their characters’ internal environments should stop by. Whether your heroine lives at the sea side or deep in the rustic northwest, you can catch glimpses of inspirational home furnishings and room shots that will immerse you in your scenes and feed your muses. (best #writerstip in the bunch)

So, thanks are in order, after all, Mr. Author. All of us writers—from the amateur to the professional—appreciate a pointer now and then. We are never so far at the top of our craft that we won’t benefit from a lesson from one of the pros. If your email address changes, please follow these instructions:
1. Scroll down to the bottom of an email from Ash Krafton's blog and click UNSUBSCRIBE to remove your old email addy from the database. Then
2. Go to http://ash-krafton.blogspot.com/ and SUBSCRIBE (on the right-hand side, in the sidebar) with your new address!